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WHAT!? NO GDT? BJ'S @ CANES

This will be a fun one tonight...looking forward to watching it on the tube, can't make it to Monday games.

Columbus isn't anywhere near as leaky defensively and in goal as Ottawa, but they are every bit as dangerous offensively. Its shame that we let the last home game against them slip away the way we did. That was before Horton and Bobrovsky returned to the lineup.

We can play we these guys but we need our top end talent to contribute offensively tonight for sure. I don't see 5 goals coming from our 3rd and 4th lines against Columbus with Bobrovsky in goal. This would sure be a good time for our PP to wake up, Columbus is 28th in Road PK% at a terrible 75.6%. I know Ruutu scored a PP goal on Saturday, but that didn't exactly indicate PP success to me considering how that goal was scored.
 
Anybody know if this is an STH Appreciation game (it is black jersey night), i.e. $2 hot dogs for STH's?
 
This is not on the list I've seen of STH appreciation games.

Tampa January 19th
Florida Feb 7th
Buffalo Mar 13th
Wash April 10th

Giving Ticketscalper.com a quick look over this looks to be not too bad in terms of attendance...maybe 15k+ tonight?
 
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Columbus has simply been too hard for the Canes to handle recently. Which Canes team shows up, the Candy Canes who got embarrassed by the Blue jackets and Flames, or the team who is on a streak? It's going to take a full team effort, and the Canes HAVE to be ready to play a physical game. Relying on Ruutu to handle ALL of the hitting, is a recipe for disaster. Rutherford is GOING to have to give up on a few guys like Dwyer, Bowman, Dvorak, etc and get in some big tough wingers who can play a hard and physical game. It would also help if the Canes had ONE defenseman who would hit, and actually have an impact. I really don't think Pete Friesen's "skinny as a stick" fitness plan does them any good in that respect either.
 
Those guys playing for Columbus seem to have some swagger about them. Playing a physical brand of hockey, getting productivity from Atkinson and Johanson, and the return of Horton and Bob have been great for them. The Canes will ahve their work cut out for them.
 
Good background read on the BlueJackets hotstreak here. They are going to take our A-game.

As for physicality, surprisingly we are in the middle of the pack in the league in total hits (17th), although the disparity between home (689) and away (481) is noteworthy...so maybe that's just friendly home stat keepers.

Also, I have noted that we're usually on the short end of the blocked shots count each game, so went looking for those totals, as well. We're 23rd there in total blocked shots, so the numbers bear out the impression.

Not sure what's up with that.
 
Elsker said:
As for physicality, surprisingly we are in the middle of the pack in the league in total hits (17th), although the disparity between home (689) and away (481) is noteworthy...so maybe that's just friendly home stat keepers.

Also, I have noted that we're usually on the short end of the blocked shots count each game, so went looking for those totals, as well. We're 23rd there in total blocked shots, so the numbers bear out the impression.

Not sure what's up with that.
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Our local stats keepers are notorious on both counts. I recall Carolina trailing Edmonton in the official shots blocked stats in the 2006 Cup Finals after one home game, even though you could literally see a 2 to 1 disparity in shots blocked on the ice ... even if you really didn't know what you were looking for. Our hits numbers have been inflated as far back as the Greensboro days ... when I distinctly recall Gary Roberts getting credited for his sole hit in a game when the guy he supposedly hit literally tripped on his own stick coming off the bench about 2 feet in front of Roberts ... who managed to avoid tripping over the guy by putting his free hand on his shoulder. Roberts got hurt later on the same shift and didn't return and this was in the first couple of shifts in the game, so it was ridiculously obvious.
 
Oh and on the Jackets ... our problem with them the last couple of years has been simple. They play a big physical style and Carolina just doesn't react well to it. It's not so much about hits and stat stuff ... it's just the intent to go play big. Our D gets shaky under pressure, our forwards get petulant when smacked in the mouth and our keepers freak out when guys buzz around their crease. We've all seen in a 100 times. It's why we've had problems with the Rangers and Bruins ... and why Western Conference teams shake up the works so much.
 
Those hit stats are not accurate, not even close. Unless you count guys like Nash or Skinner getting steamrolled 6 times in a game, as hits!

I can count the meaningful hits for the entire season, the ones that popped loose the puck, etc on one hand. Two or three of them belong to Murphy!
 
TheBigKahuna said:
Those hit stats are not accurate, not even close. Unless you count guys like Nash or Skinner getting steamrolled 6 times in a game, as hits!

I can count the meaningful hits for the entire season, the ones that popped loose the puck, etc on one hand. Two or three of them belong to Murphy!
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Malhotra has had a couple of thumpers too.
 
So, that's 4 or 5. Who else?

It's pathetic any way you slice it!

Jordan hammered someone a week or two ago. Ruutu's hits lately have been fairly meaningless. Although I will give him credit for trying to send a message to Gryba the other night.
 
TheBigKahuna said:
Ruutu's hits lately have been fairly meaningless. Although I will give him credit for trying to send a message to Gryba the other night.
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Yup ... he got in a good one, which by my count makes his 3rd or 4th proper hit of the season. Of course, they're not supposed to only count the ones that rattle the boards, but those are the only ones we remember when we get home. Komisarek has popped a few guys lately, Harrison got in a couple against Ottawa and Nash has even thrown his body around WAY more often than I expected. Other than that ... meh. Most of our "hits" are of the bumping the guy to "finish the check" variety.
 
Where is the work ethic? I missed most of the period but Chuck K's broadcast left me feeling we came out and played flat uninspired hockey.
 
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